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rit. He, by His gracious interposition and influence, brings before the mind the grand central object of our faith and hope the blessed Redeemer-and influences it to attend to and contemplate Him, and his claims. Various objects or truths, as is the case when the sinner is convicted, may have been previously presented by Him, producing a state of excitement, or bringing the mind into a mood, favorable to an impression from the appeal which He makes. When the pains of Hell get hold of the conscience, and the sinner becomes uneasy, the instinctive desires of the soul for bliss are excited. The promise of bliss in Christ, attracts attention. His natural susceptibilities of emotion, are variously excited. Hope, fear, desire, sorrow, begin to operate. Reformation is attempted. An exciting influence from spiritual objects, although they are but partially and imperfectly understood, is now experienced. The interested attention given to them, increases that excitement. Clearer views of their solemnity and importance, or their excellence and desirableness are had. Some degree of illumination ensues. Spiritual things are apprehended as realities, and the full and hearty approbation and choice of Christ, as all our salvation and all our desire, are secured, affecting the heart with sorrow for past neglect, or contempt of Him, and for the ingratitude manifested by former iniquity, and rejection of his proffered mercy, and engaging the whole soul, in all its various capacities to act, no longer for its own selish interests, but for His glory. The heart loves Him, confides in Him, yields, in adoring submission, to His claims, lies humbled at His feet, and consecrates itself and all to Him. And thus the sinner, in a way perfectly consistent with, and through the established laws of human thought and feeling, is brought by the Spirit of God, to turn from his sins and live. Every one, who is acquainted with the experience of the christian, knows the truth and general ac

euracy of the above account, of the process of conversion. The different steps taken by the sinner, and the different accessions of divine influence, prior to the entire surrender of the heart to the Saviour, in some cases occur at distant intervals, and it is not till after long and much striving, that the rebel yields. But, in others, the transitions of feeling are rapid; and, into the short space of one half hour, is crowded an experience as full and vivid, as that which is spread over months. These sudden changes occur in seasons of revival, when the Spirit's influence is powerfully exerted. The former most frequently take place, when there is no special excitement on the subject of religion.

In estimating the reality of conversion, we must not look to the time, during which our minds may have been affected with convictions, prior to believing; but to the reality of certain characteristic exercises. Have we been brought to see and feel our wretched, guilty, cursed state, by reason of our own sins? Have we been affected with a sense of the evil of our sins, as committed against God? Have we felt, that it would be most righteous for Him to condemn us eternally, for our sins? Have we been convinced, that our carual minds are enmity against God? Have we seen that there is, and can be no hope for us, from our own obedience? Have we heard of the salvation which there is in Christ? Have we seen, that in Him there is a fullness and sulliciency for all our need-blood, to atone for our sinsrighteousness, to justify-and a purifying Spirit, to cleanse our hearts? Have we given full and hearty credit to God's word, when he calls upon us to embrace this Saviour, as a certification of his great benevolence, and of his willingness to receive and save us? Have we actually ventured upon. Christ, and given ourselves, soul, spirit, and body, away to Him? Have we sincerely and deeply repented of our sins,

as committed against a righteons God, and a merciful Redeemer? And have we cordially, unreservedly, unchangeably, and forever devoted ourselves to His service? If so, the blessed Spirit has subdued us to Himself. The characteristic exercises of a saving change of heart, have been experienced by us. We are born again. And no one, thus born again, who has seen and felt the evil of his own heart, the blindness of his stupid mind, and his natural aversion from the service of God, but what is ready to exclaim, in admiration of the power and freedom of the grace of God, which has made him willing to submit,-"Not unto us, Oh Lord, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."" Whether rude or learned, noble or ignoble, Hindoo, Hottentot, Caffre, Indian, or the civilized son of science, he will relate, essentially, the same experience, and evince the same impressions of truth upon the mind. To what other general and extensive cause, can we assign these mental exercises and transformations of character, than to the Spirit's gracious agency. He is their author, and His be all the glory and all the praise.

From the above general account, of the change of characteristic exercises in Regeneration, produced by the Spirit of God, it is obvious, that there are objects existing, and that facts have transpired, which are, in their nature, adapted to produce impressions and excitement, necessary, according to the constitution of the human mind, to rouse the will into appropriate action;-that these objects and truths are presented to, and may be apprehended through the exercise of our constitutional capacities, as rational and sensitive creatures;-that the word of God is the great theatre where they are displayed;-that men are naturally averse from the contemplation of them, and treat them, as though they were false and illusory, being unwilling to pursue them, as the meansof their enjoyment; and that this aver

1. Falalm cxv, 1.

sion is overcome, by the special influence of the Holy Spirit, who, in some way entirely unknown to us, but in perfect consistency with the established laws, which regulate the exercise of our capacities, gives an impressiveness to these truths and objects, excites the feelings, secures the attention, engages the affections, and so making the man willing and determined to embrace and cleave to them for ever as to realities substantial and eternal, revolutionizes his whole character and conduct, and develops in him a new life.

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as committed against a righteons God, and a merciful Redeemer? And have we cordially, unreservedly, unchangeably, and forever devoted ourselves to His service? If so, the blessed Spirit has subdued us to Himself. The characteristic exercises of a saving change of heart, have been experienced by us. We are born again. And no one, thus born again, who has seen and felt the evil of his own heart, the blindness of his stupid mind, and his natural aversion from the service of God, but what is ready to exclaim, in admiration of the power and freedom of the grace of God, which has made him willing to submit,-"Not unto us, Oh Lord, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." Whether rude or learned, noble or ignoble, Hindoo, Hottentot, Caffre, Indian, or the civilized son of science, he will relate, essentially, the same experience, and evince the same impressions of truth upon the mind. To what other general and extensive cause, can we assign these mental exercises and transformations of character, than to the Spirit's gracious agency. He is their author, and His be all the glory and all the praise.

From the above general account, of the change of characteristic exercises in Regeneration, produced by the Spirit of God, it is obvious, that there are objects existing, and that facts have transpired, which are, in their nature, adapted to produce impressions and excitement, necessary, according to the constitution of the human mind, to rouse the will into appropriate action;-that these objects and truths are presented to, and may be apprehended through the exercise of our constitutional capacities, as rational and sensitive creatures;-that the word of God is the great theatre where they are displayed;-that men are naturally averse from the contemplation of them, and treat them, as though they were false and illusory, being unwilling to pursue them, as the meansof their enjoyment; and that this aver

1. I dalm cxv, 1.

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